Pressing surface for filtration container assembly
Embodiments are directed to filtration container assemblies and methods of using the same. A filtration container assembly includes an outer container and a plunging assembly. The plunging assembly includes an inner sleeve, a filtration assembly, and a cap assembly having a pressing surface. When the outer container is at least partially filled with liquid, a user can exert pressure on the pressing surface of the plunging assembly to nest the plunging assembly within the outer container, using positive pressure to displace the liquid in the outer container through the filtration assembly into the inner sleeve. In some embodiments, at least a portion of a handle for the filtration container assembly may be a part of the pressing surface.
1 . A container assembly, the container assembly comprising:
an outer container having a first open end and a second closed end and defining an inner cavity; and
a plunging assembly having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the plunging assembly is configured to be received within the inner cavity of the outer container, wherein the first end of the plunging assembly includes a cap having a pivoting handle, the cap and at least a portion of the handle together defining a first pressing surface configured for a user to press the plunging assembly into the inner cavity of the outer container, wherein the cap defines a cross-sectional area and the first pressing surface defines an area, wherein the area of the first pressing surface is at least 60% of the cross-sectional area of the cap, and wherein the first pressing surface defines a contiguous and substantially planar surface.
2 . The container assembly of claim 1 , wherein the handle is configured for pivoting movement between a first position and a second position.
3 . The container assembly of claim 2 , wherein the first position is a retracted position.
4 . The container assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cap includes a cap body having a first end and a second end defining a cap body height.
5 . The container assembly of claim 4 , wherein the handle has a handle body defining a holding portion and a first arm and a second arm, each of the first and second arms pivotably coupled to the cap body, and wherein the handle arms each have a first side and a second side defining a handle arm width.
6 . The container assembly of claim 5 , wherein the handle arm width is less than or equal to the cap body height.
7 . The container assembly of claim 6 , wherein the cap body includes first and second lip portions disposed between the first and second ends of the cap body, the first and second lip portions configured to support the second side of each of the first and second handle arms when the handle is in the retracted position.
8 . The container assembly of claim 7 , wherein the first side of each of the first and second handle arms defines a portion of the first pressing surface.
9 . The container assembly of claim 8 , wherein the holding portion of the handle body has a first side and a second side defining a holding portion width.
10 . The container assembly of claim 9 , wherein the first side of the holding portion defines a portion of the first pressing surface.
11 . The container assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first pressing surface allows for a compression force to be applied to the container assembly along a longitudinal axis of the outer container to press the plunging assembly into the inner cavity of the outer container.
12 . The container assembly of claim 11 , wherein the outer surface of the second closed end of the outer container defines a second pressing surface of the container assembly.
13 . The container assembly of claim 12 , wherein at least a portion of the second pressing surface is substantially planar.
14 . The container assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plunging assembly includes an inner sleeve having a first end and a second end and an outer wall defining an inner bore.
15 . The container assembly of claim 14 , wherein the outer wall is continuous from the first end to the second end of the inner sleeve.
16 . The container assembly of claim 14 , wherein the plunging assembly includes a filtration assembly having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the filtration assembly is at or adjacent the second end of the inner sleeve.
17 . The container assembly of claim 16 , wherein the first end of the filtration assembly is mechanically coupled to the inner sleeve at or adjacent the second end of the inner sleeve.
18 . The container assembly of claim 16 , wherein the second end of the filtration assembly is outside the inner bore of the inner sleeve.
19 . The container assembly of claim 1 , wherein the container assembly further includes a device for releasing pressure from the inner cavity of the outer container when the plunging assembly is received within the inner cavity of the outer container.
20 . The container assembly of claim 16 , wherein the plunging assembly is configured to filter a liquid contained in the outer container as the plunging assembly is pressed into the inner cavity of the outer container and the liquid moves from the inner cavity of the outer container through the filtration assembly to the inner bore of the inner sleeve of the plunging assembly.
21 . The container assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cap is removable from the plunging assembly.
22 . The container assembly of claim 1 , wherein the cap includes an access port to the inner bore of the inner sleeve.
23 . The container assembly of claim 1 , further comprising retractable handles and/or a bumper cup.
24 . A container assembly, the container assembly comprising:
an outer container having a first open end and a second closed end and defining an inner cavity; and
a plunging assembly having a first end and a second end, wherein the second end of the plunging assembly is configured to be received within the inner cavity of the outer container, wherein the first end of the plunging assembly includes a cap assembly having a body portion and a handle defining a holding portion, wherein the handle is configured to pivot between a first position and a second position such that, when the handle is in the first position, the first end of the plunging assembly defines a first pressing surface including a portion of the cap and having a first cross-sectional area, and when the handle is in the second position, the first end of the plunging assembly defines a second pressing surface including the portion of the cap and at least a portion of the handle, the second pressing surface having a second cross-sectional area, wherein the holding portion is spaced from the body portion in the second position such that a gap is defined between the holding portion and body portion, and wherein the first cross-sectional area is smaller than the second cross-sectional area.